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2002 Chevrolet Suburban 1500

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Suburban 1500 years

Owner complaints for the 2002 Chevrolet Suburban 1500 are substantially higher than the model-year median of 53.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

105 reports with mileage · 15 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Service Brakes. Review the 33 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 30 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 10 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

3 crash reports1 fire reports3 injury reports

What owners actually said

120 reports
302,000 miles · Apr 16, 2019
Service BrakesFire

PASSENGER FRONT BRAKE IS LOCKING UP WHILE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. HAS CAUSED NUMEROUS BRAKE PAD REPLACEMENTS AND CALIPER AND ROTOR REPLACEMENT. HAS CAUSE SMALL FIRE.

NHTSA ODI #11196711

60,000 miles · May 10, 2018
Service Brakes

NO WARNING LIGHTS ON THE DASH, BUT UPON BREAKING AT SLOW SPEED THE PEDAL EITHER PUSHES BACK OR THE BRAKES SLOW THE VEHICLE AT A FRIGHTENINGLY SLOW PACE, ALL WHILE THE ABS SYSTEM IS ON AS IF SLIDING ON ICE, BUT IT WAS AND IS DRY PAVEMENT. THIS HAPPENS 95 -100% OF EVERY BRAKING ATTEMPT. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO A LOCAL MECHANIC HE COULD…

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NO WARNING LIGHTS ON THE DASH, BUT UPON BREAKING AT SLOW SPEED THE PEDAL EITHER PUSHES BACK OR THE BRAKES SLOW THE VEHICLE AT A FRIGHTENINGLY SLOW PACE, ALL WHILE THE ABS SYSTEM IS ON AS IF SLIDING ON ICE, BUT IT WAS AND IS DRY PAVEMENT. THIS HAPPENS 95 -100% OF EVERY BRAKING ATTEMPT. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO A LOCAL MECHANIC HE COULDN'T FIGURE OUT WHAT TO FIX SINCE THE COMPUTER CODES WERE BOUNCING ALL OVER THE PLACE. I SEE THIS IS A PROBLEM AFTER I HAVE DONE RESEARCH ON THE WEB. I PULLED THE MAIN ABS 60 FUSE UNDER THE HOOD TO TURN OFF THE SYSTEM. THIS CAUSES THE BREAK WARNING FAILURE LIGHT TO COME ON BUT I CAN AT LEAST STOP THE VEHICLE. THIS IS A FAILURE ON A SAFETY SYSTEM (ABS) THAT ACTUALLY CAUSES A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE...AS EACH STOP IS A POTENTIAL CRASH.

NHTSA ODI #11093248

Mileage unknown · Feb 10, 2018
EngineFuel/propulsion SystemUnknown Or Other

WHETHER IT'S IDLING OR DRIVING SHUTS OFF I REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP AND THE WIRING HARNESSES THAT COME WITH THE FUEL PUMP AND STILL NO AVAIL IT'S CAUSED A LOT OF TIME OFF OF WORK AND A LOT OF HEADACHE I WORK FOR A REPUTABLE DEALERSHIP I WORKED ON VEHICLES FOR OVER 40 YEARS

NHTSA ODI #11072085

215,000 miles · Feb 4, 2018
Fuel/propulsion System

WHILE REPLACING THE RUSTED BRAKE LINES ON MY SUBURBAN (SEE TRACKING NUMBER 11066863), I NOTICED THE FUEL LINES GOING TO THE FUEL FILTER WERE ALSO TERRIBLY RUSTED. IT APPEARS THE RUST EMANATES FROM THE PLASTIC CLAMP THAT SECURES THE FUEL LINE TO THE FRAME. THE TUBE NUT THAT GOES INTO THE FILTER APPEARS TO BE FROZEN WITH RUST. SA…

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WHILE REPLACING THE RUSTED BRAKE LINES ON MY SUBURBAN (SEE TRACKING NUMBER 11066863), I NOTICED THE FUEL LINES GOING TO THE FUEL FILTER WERE ALSO TERRIBLY RUSTED. IT APPEARS THE RUST EMANATES FROM THE PLASTIC CLAMP THAT SECURES THE FUEL LINE TO THE FRAME. THE TUBE NUT THAT GOES INTO THE FILTER APPEARS TO BE FROZEN WITH RUST. SALT AND DIRT ARE TRAPPED IN THE PLASTIC CLAMP AND NUT, WHICH IS IMPOSSIBLE TO WASH OUT. THE FUEL LINES ON TOP OF THE FUEL TANK ARE LIKELY TO BE RUSTED, TOO.

NHTSA ODI #11066878

160,000 miles · Oct 10, 2017
Service BrakesService Brakes, Hydraulic

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 1500. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, MAKING LEFT AND RIGHT TURNS AT LOW SPEEDS, THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED UNWANTED ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM ACTIVATION WITHOUT WARNING. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT DIAGNOSED THE VEHICLE AND STATED THAT THE WHEEL SPEED SENSOR MOUNTING …

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 1500. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, MAKING LEFT AND RIGHT TURNS AT LOW SPEEDS, THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED UNWANTED ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM ACTIVATION WITHOUT WARNING. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT DIAGNOSED THE VEHICLE AND STATED THAT THE WHEEL SPEED SENSOR MOUNTING SURFACE ON THE BEARING NEEDED TO BE CLEANED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 05V379000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000.

NHTSA ODI #11032697

98,000 miles · Jul 9, 2017
Service Brakes

CORRODED AND LEAKING BRAKE LINES. ABS ACTIVATING DURING LOW SPEED BRAKING.

NHTSA ODI #11003886

263,000 miles · Jan 13, 2017
Service Brakes

WHEN I APPLY THE BRAKES AT LOW SPEED I FEEL A CHATTERING LIKE THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES ARE ACTIVATED AND THE CAR WON'T STOP UNTIL I LET UP AND RE-APPLY PRESSURE TO THE PEDAL. I'VE COME CLOSE TO AN ACCIDENT MORE THAN ONCE.

NHTSA ODI #10945106

Mileage unknown · Oct 31, 2016
Tires

TIRE SIZE P265/70R17DOT4BT6DYWR THE FOLLOWING NUMBERS SET OF 3 0611 ODD TIRE1711 THE OTHER ODD NUMBER 1711. PURCHASED TIRES IN 2012 ONLY 24000 MILES NOW THEY ARE CRACKED FOUND OUT THESE TIRES WERE MANUFACTURED IN 2011.I DRIVE TO THE AROLINAS AT THE MINIMUM OF ONCE A YEAR AND I DON'T APPRECIATE DRIVING THE MOUNTAINS WITH DEFECTI…

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TIRE SIZE P265/70R17DOT4BT6DYWR THE FOLLOWING NUMBERS SET OF 3 0611 ODD TIRE1711 THE OTHER ODD NUMBER 1711. PURCHASED TIRES IN 2012 ONLY 24000 MILES NOW THEY ARE CRACKED FOUND OUT THESE TIRES WERE MANUFACTURED IN 2011.I DRIVE TO THE AROLINAS AT THE MINIMUM OF ONCE A YEAR AND I DON'T APPRECIATE DRIVING THE MOUNTAINS WITH DEFECTIVE TIRES. NOW GOODYEAR WANTS ME TO TAKE TIRES OFF AND SEND BACK TO THEM BUT IN THE MEAN TIME I HAVE TO PURCHASE ANOTHER AT MY COST. THESE TIRE WERE PURCHASED IN HOLLY SPRINGS NORTH CAROLINA,TIRES WERE MANUFACTURES IN FAYETTEVILLE N.C. WOULD APPRECIATE ANY HELP YOU CAN OFFER. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10920167

65,883 miles · Jul 6, 2016
Service Brakes

WHILE DRIVING HOME, ON A HIGHWAY, I APPROACHED A TRAFFIC LIGHT THAT CHANGED AND I HAD TO HIT THE BRAKES TO STOP. THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. AFTER GETTING IT HOME I CHECKED THE BRAKES AND THEY LOOKED AS THOUGHT THEY SHOULD WORK (NOTE IT WAS INSPECTED IN DEC 2015 AND PASSED). AFTER MORE CHECKING I FOUND THAT THE BRAKE LINE…

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WHILE DRIVING HOME, ON A HIGHWAY, I APPROACHED A TRAFFIC LIGHT THAT CHANGED AND I HAD TO HIT THE BRAKES TO STOP. THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. AFTER GETTING IT HOME I CHECKED THE BRAKES AND THEY LOOKED AS THOUGHT THEY SHOULD WORK (NOTE IT WAS INSPECTED IN DEC 2015 AND PASSED). AFTER MORE CHECKING I FOUND THAT THE BRAKE LINES ON THE DRIVERS SIDE FRAME RAIL WERE RUSTED AND HAD FAILED AS THAT AREA WAS COVERED IN BRAKE FLUID. I PURCHASED MY 2002 Z71 SUBURBAN NEW THAT YEAR AND IT HAS LESS THAN 66,000 MILES ON IT NOW.

NHTSA ODI #10883148

190,000 miles · Jun 15, 2016
Service Brakes

ALL BRAKE WARNING LIGHTS LIGHT UP INTERMITTENTLY, I CAN MAKE THEM GO OFF SOMETIMES BY SHUTTING DOWN AND RESTARTING ENGINE, BUT NOT ALWAYS. RECALL # 05V379000 COVERS SAME MODEL YEAR VEHICLES IN THE "SALT BELT" STATES, CORROSION ISSUE! MY LOCAL DEALER SAYS THERE IS NO RECALL ON THIS VEHICLE FOR BRAKE SENSOR PROBLEMS. BRAKES STILL …

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ALL BRAKE WARNING LIGHTS LIGHT UP INTERMITTENTLY, I CAN MAKE THEM GO OFF SOMETIMES BY SHUTTING DOWN AND RESTARTING ENGINE, BUT NOT ALWAYS. RECALL # 05V379000 COVERS SAME MODEL YEAR VEHICLES IN THE "SALT BELT" STATES, CORROSION ISSUE! MY LOCAL DEALER SAYS THERE IS NO RECALL ON THIS VEHICLE FOR BRAKE SENSOR PROBLEMS. BRAKES STILL FUNCTION NORMALLY EVEN WITH ALL WARNING LIGHTS "ON". I WANT THIS PROBLEM REPAIRED UNDER A SAFETY RECALL! I CAN'T ALLOW ANYONE ELSE IN THE FAMILY TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE UNDER THESE CONDITIONS. I AM A MECHANIC, NO ONE ELSE IN THE FAMILY WOULD KNOW WHAT TO DO IF THE BRAKES ACTUALLY DO FAIL WHILE DRIVING.

NHTSA ODI #10874451

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.